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How to add Custom Search Engines to Search Bar

vsg74
vsg74
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In the past I managed to add a 'Custom Search Engine' to Firefox's 'Search Bar' (Windows Version) by just right-clicking that site's own 'search bar' and choosing 'Add to search bar'. I had no third party plugin installed to do this. It was provided by Firefox itself.

Or am I mixing up this feature with Google's 'Add Custom Search Button' ?

Anyhow, is there a way to add a 'Custom Search Engine' to Firefox's 'Search Bar' from any website, WITHOUT having to:

  • install an add-on (like: Add to Search Bar 2.0)
  • acquire search engines on 'mycroft.mozdev.org'
  • acquire search engines from 'Manage/Add Search Engines' from the drop-down menu in the search bar ?

Thanks!

In the past I managed to add a 'Custom Search Engine' to Firefox's 'Search Bar' (Windows Version) by just right-clicking that site's own 'search bar' and choosing 'Add to search bar'. I had no third party plugin installed to do this. It was provided by Firefox itself. Or am I mixing up this feature with Google's 'Add Custom Search Button' ? Anyhow, is there a way to add a 'Custom Search Engine' to Firefox's 'Search Bar' from any website, WITHOUT having to: * install an add-on (like: Add to Search Bar 2.0) * acquire search engines on 'mycroft.mozdev.org' * acquire search engines from 'Manage/Add Search Engines' from the drop-down menu in the search bar ? Thanks!

Modified by vsg74

All Replies (4)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Some website like this one offer a search engine to install.
You can see that because the search engine icon gets a blueish background.
If you click the search engines icon in such a case then you see a item to add a search engine, in this case Add "Firefox Help"
That is the only way to add a search engine without visiting the mycroft.mozdev.org website or use one of the other ways.

vsg74
vsg74 Question owner
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Thanks for your reply, cor-el.

Well, if there's no other way then I must have dreamt it or confused it with Google Toolbar's 'Add Custom Search Button'.

Any how, today I found out that it's possible to make your own 'Custom Search Engine' for the 'Search Bar':

• http://oreilly.com/pub/h/3033 (build manually)

• http://mycroft.mozdev.org/submitos.html (generate automatically)

• http://www.searchplugins.net/generate.aspx (generate automatically)

I succeeded to make my own 'Custom Search Engine' and add it to 'Search Bar'. So, it's a small consolation :)

Modified by vsg74

RadicalCon
RadicalCon
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All I want to do is add www.Gibiru.com to the Manage Search engine list & make that my Default Search engine instead of Google. Why does Firefox require add-ons & plug-ins for every damn thing? I checked mycroft.mozdev.org but Gibiru isn't listed there. WHY do I need a plug-in to get a search engine to work? I'm about to uninstall this crap & go back to using MSIE. Firefox advertises a lot of hype about open source code & ease of use, but so far, its functionality stinks!

idontcare73
idontcare73
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Just made this custom search creator to do this since I couldn't find one either.

Although I wouldn't trust a stranger so here's the hard way:

Install Apache (lamp/wamp whatever) or get free web hosting from some site.

blah.html: <a onclick="window.external.AddSearchProvider('http://localhost/blah.xml');">blah</a>

blah.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<OpenSearchDescription xmlns="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/">
<ShortName>Blah</ShortName>
<Description>Blah blah</Description>
<Image width="16" height="16">data:image/png;base64,BlahBlahBase64AndUriEncoded%2B%2F</Image>
<Image width="16" height="16">http://blah/OrJustAUrl.png</Image>
<Url type="text/html" method="get" template="https://blah/?blah={searchTerms}"/>
</OpenSearchDescription>

Now go to http://localhost/blah.html and click the link.

Modified by cor-el